TY - JOUR
T1 - Linezolid
T2 - Its role in the treatment of gram-positive, drug-resistant bacterial infections
AU - Ament, Paul W.
AU - Jamshed, Namirah
AU - Horne, John P.
PY - 2002/2/15
Y1 - 2002/2/15
N2 - While the choices available for the management of gram-positive, drug-resistant bacterial infections are becoming limited, antimicrobial resistance is becoming increasingly problematic because of the widespread overuse of antibiotics. Linezolid is a synthetic antibiotic belonging to a new class of antimicrobials called the oxazolidinones. Linezolid disrupts bacterial growth by inhibiting the initiation process of protein synthesis - a mechanism of action that is unique to this class of drugs. It is well absorbed with high bioavailability that allows conversion to oral therapy as soon as the patient is clinically stable. It has been approved for certain gram-positive infections including certain drug-resistant enterococcus, staphylococcus, and pneumococcus strains. It is generally well tolerated, with myelosuppression being the most serious adverse effect. As a non-selective inhibitor of monoamine oxidase, caution is recommended when used with adrenergic or serotonergic agents (e.g., tyramine, dopamine, pseudoephedrine, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Judicious use of this medication should help physicians treat patients with multidrug-resistant infections. Copyright
AB - While the choices available for the management of gram-positive, drug-resistant bacterial infections are becoming limited, antimicrobial resistance is becoming increasingly problematic because of the widespread overuse of antibiotics. Linezolid is a synthetic antibiotic belonging to a new class of antimicrobials called the oxazolidinones. Linezolid disrupts bacterial growth by inhibiting the initiation process of protein synthesis - a mechanism of action that is unique to this class of drugs. It is well absorbed with high bioavailability that allows conversion to oral therapy as soon as the patient is clinically stable. It has been approved for certain gram-positive infections including certain drug-resistant enterococcus, staphylococcus, and pneumococcus strains. It is generally well tolerated, with myelosuppression being the most serious adverse effect. As a non-selective inhibitor of monoamine oxidase, caution is recommended when used with adrenergic or serotonergic agents (e.g., tyramine, dopamine, pseudoephedrine, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Judicious use of this medication should help physicians treat patients with multidrug-resistant infections. Copyright
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M3 - Article
C2 - 11871684
AN - SCOPUS:0037084298
SN - 0002-838X
VL - 65
SP - 663
EP - 670
JO - American Family Physician
JF - American Family Physician
IS - 4
ER -